Riverside leaders back officer who lost certification over minor theft 15 years ago

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A west suburban community is supporting a police officer whose career has been put in jeopardy over a mistake from 15 years ago.

Officer Zenna Ramos has been open about the crime, admitting that she stole a $15 t-shirt in 2008.

The charges were officially dismissed, but they resurfaced when Ramos transferred from the Cicero Police Department to the Riverside Police Department.

The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board decided to take away the certification she received after graduating from the police academy, citing the theft.

"It is very difficult to talk about, because it is something that she has worked so hard to get fixed," said Riverside Public Safety Director Matthew Buckley. "But that's the kind of person I want working here in Riverside. Because in Riverside, we give second chances. We work with people."

Illinois State Rep. LaShawn Ford and the Riverside Village Board have urged state officials to reverse their decision. 

Governor JB Pritzker released a statement in support of officer Ramos saying, "Officer Ramos is a model of someone who, despite making a mistake during a difficult time in her life, has rehabilitated and learned from that past--"